However, not all common species are declining. Numbers of great tits, robins, blue tits and blackbirds were all shown to be increasing.

Populations of rarer species, including marsh harriers, ravens, buzzards and stone curlews have also shown increases in recent years. This is likely to be the result of direct conservation action and legal protection in Europe.

Dr Richard Gregory, the RSPB’s head of species monitoring and research, said: “The conservation and legal protection of all birds and their habitats in tandem are essential to reverse declines.

“This is a warning from birds throughout Europe. It is clear that the way we are managing the environment is unsustainable for many of our most familiar species.”

For the study, scientists analysed data about 144 species of European bird from many thousands of individual surveys in 25 different countries.

Thousands of skilled volunteer fieldworkers who count birds according to high scientific standards and contributed their data to the national monitoring schemes.